Erica forgot her anger at Bianca and Marissa for delaying them the moment the car pulled into Times Square. This was what she had been waiting for, this was her dream… well not her exact dream, she wasn't the star, but it was close enough for her to want the grab every piece of it she could.
She had loved the photo shoot all afternoon, all the cameras and the attention. She wondered why she ever gave it up. And then she remembered, Jackson and her girls, they were the reason why. As much as she loved all the glamour and excitement, experience had taught her that it was a fleeting thing. Right now she had the focus of the media and the world but it could all go away. If the critics didn't like the film it could be over as soon as tomorrow morning.
So she would make the most of what fate gave her.
"Remember to stay close behind me," she said, counselling her daughters on the best way to walk the red carpet. "The press may want family shots so be ready to step in if I give the signal."
Kendal nodded, but she didn't look like she was really looking forward to it.
"And smile." Erica said, prodding Kendal's knee, "Smile. See how happy Marissa is."
Kendal snorted.
"That's only 'cause Bianca gave her something to smile about."
"Hey." cried Bianca, giving her sister a sharp elbow in the ribs.
"None of that," snapped Erica "I don't want any silliness. You have to be serious. I mean it's going to be fun, but please take it seriously."
Bianca reached forward and took her mother's hand.
"Relax." she said, "We are here to support you. We are going to make sure you have a wonderful evening and I promise we are going to be sensible. Isn't that right Kendal?"
"That's right." said Kendal placing her hand on top of her sisters. "We are here for you. So you just enjoy yourself mom. You don't have to worry about us."
Erica wanted to believe them but she could still sense her eldest daughter's reluctance.
"I even promise to smile." said Kendal, giving her mother a brief demonstration.
…
As the car turned off Broadway, Griffin gave Marissa a grin.
"We're here!" he said.
The theatre was transformed from what they saw earlier that day, the ten feet high letters that spelt the name Erica now glowed neon pink, the front of the theatre was completely obscured by a mass of people surrounding it and lining the street on either side, was a convoy of news vans.
"Oh boy." gasped Marissa. She hadn't expected it to be so… big. Her previous red carpet experience at the gallery opening had not prepared her for this. It was a hundred times bigger.
Bianca, obviously noticing her tension, squeezed her hand as the car pulled to a stop
"Just stick with me, you'll be fine."
Marissa nodded.
"And keep smiling." added Bianca, planting a small kiss on the corner of her mouth.
The taste of her girlfriend's lips sent Marissa right back to the moment, just minutes ago, together on the bed. Her smile came back instantly.
The first thing that hit them as they stepped out of the car was the noise. Marissa slipped her right arm around Bianca's waist acting as additional support as Bianca had opted to use a single crutch, but also just because she enjoyed the closeness of it. The first gauntlet was the walk through an army of people waving and screaming at everyone and everything. Marissa was bewildered by it. People were shouting out Erica's name; Kendal's name; Bianca's… all swallowed up amongst the constant barrage of voices. She even heard one shrill voice screaming over the wall of sound, 'Bianca, will you marry me!"
Marissa looked over to her girlfriend. She didn't seem fazed by the baying crowd, she just smiled and waved. Erica was walking up to people, shaking hands, signing proffered postcards and autograph books. She seemed in her element. Even Griffin was waving confidently back at a pack of screaming women who had clearly mistaken him for someone else. Marissa made an effort to relax the tension in her body and tried out a wave of her own. A woman in a green jersey and a little girl by her side waved back, and so bolstered Marissa began smiling and waving at the sea of faces, it was clearly something that was expected of her.
…
As they continued it became clear the crowds were nothing compared to the press. First they had to stop and pose for a wall of cameras, flash bulbs coming at them from every direction, blinding them. There were voices shouting out requests, 'turn here', 'this way', 'smile', 'stand closer' and more than a few 'give her a kiss!'.
Bianca leant down to speak to Marissa, but Marissa shook her head frowning, she couldn't hear her words above the noise. Bianca leant closer, putting her lips to Marissa's ear.
"I said, just keep smiling."
In that moment the whole world went white as every camera went off at once.
Bianca looked terribly shamefaced.
"Oops, I probably shouldn't have done that."
She wasn't sure if it was the adorable look of guilt on Bianca's face or the tingle that remained from her girlfriend's warm breath on her ear but Marissa grinned.
"Well let's give them something to really look at."
Marissa gave Bianca's a quick peck on the lips.
The world turned white once more.
…
After the wall of photographers was the wall of microphones. There was a mass of news reporters, waving them over for a quote or to answer questions. Marissa recognised a few faces. Bianca stopped every now and again to speak to interviewers; they all seemed to ask the same questions:
Are you excited about the film? Truthfully I'm apprehensive more than excited. But I'm very proud of my mother, she has had an incredible life and her story needs to be told. She is truly inspirational.
How do you feel about the casting of Natalie Portman to play you? I'm very flattered. She is an incredible actress and I have been a long-time fan.
How is your mother coping after her resent injury? She has bounced right back. I think this film and the chance to be here for the premier has been one of the catalysts for her recovery.
Thank you for speaking to us, I hope you enjoy the rest of this evening…
Marissa looked over her shoulder to see how everyone else was doing. Kendal had somehow caught up with Dakota Fanning being interviewed and there were now ten different microphones snaking in front of their faces as they talked. And bizarrely Erica was leaning down talking to two little girls in tutus who were happily interviewing her.
A couple of interviewers even collared Marissa with question: How do you feel about your girlfriend being portrayed on film? Are you worried about having Erica Kane as a mother in law? Who do you prefer the real Bianca or Natalie Portman in the role? The answer to that last question was a no brainer – it was Bianca all the way!
…
A uniformed usher led them to their seats, central to the screen, and an excited murmur ran through the crowds as more and more celebrities arrived. When Meryl Streep entered there was a loud round of applause. Erica felt that was a bit much, she was the real star of the show. It was her life after all.
The movie theatre grew quiet as the film started. Erica sat back and waited to see what Kit had done to the story of her life.
The scene began with a tight shot of two teenagers, a boy and a girl making out on the couch, the camera slowly pulling out; the beginning credits blacking out the screen every few moments for dramatic effect. Then suddenly there was a crash and another young woman stormed in, screaming at the first girl for stealing her boyfriend before dragging the guy away, arguing loudly with him. The door slammed, leaving the teenage girl alone on the couch in complete silence. Then she began to cry. The girl was Erica Kane.
This eye-catching beginning melted into a twisting tale interweaving different periods of Erica's life. Her early childhood in Pine Valley with her mother and her struggles to find love; the arrival of a teenage Kendal into the family home; in later years when the continued animosity between mother and daughter is heightened by a man named Bennett and finally scenes of an intimate conversation between Erica and Kendal driving in the car which tied the three strands together.
Erica looked over to her daughters every so often to see how they were dealing as the unfolding story.
Kendal was scowling; they had turned her teenage character into a bit of a psychopath, jealously threatening a young Bianca as she so desperately fought for her mother's love.
Bianca was sitting very stiffly whenever Leonardo Dicaprio's character, Bennett, appeared on screen. The name had been changed but he was clearly playing the role of Michael Cambias.
Erica now wished more than anything she had asked to see a preview before dragging her daughters along. It was clear to see from the threads they had chosen, the one thing that tied them all together was rape.
As the ending drew near, the teenage Erica is revealed to be pregnant, the teenage Kendal is devastated by the news that she is a child of rape, Kendal saves Erica from an angry Bennett as he tries to assault her and finally the film slips to the intimate conversation between Erica and Kendal once more.
The conversation is revealed to be Kendal taking Erica home after Bennett's attempted rape. A traumatised Erica begins telling her daughter the story of her childhood assault. The narrative is devastatingly interspersed with scenes of a vengeful Bennett going after Bianca. Meryl Streep's acting was heart-breaking as Erica gives her account of how her father sold her to her attacker but the scenes they showed leading up to Bianca's rape were brutal.
The violent scenes were cut off abruptly with Bianca's scream and what followed was a poignant moment of peace between Kendal and Erica, where they reach a truce, both finally understanding the other.
The film ends with Bianca sat, just as the teenager Erica had at the beginning of the film, alone on a couch in tears as the camera zooms slowly in. There is a bleep of an answerphone as the screen goes black and the last thing that is heard is Erica's voice telling Bianca that she has made peace with Kendal and that everything is going to be alright.
As the credits rolled the film was met with raucous applause; there was a standing ovation. The only people not on their feet were Erica and her family. Kendal looked tense, but Bianca looked devastated, her focus solely on her lap, her arms crossed tightly over her belly. Marissa had her arm around her shoulder and was talking softly to her but she wasn't responding.
Kendal turned to Erica.
"I'm afraid I can't say I enjoyed the film." she said sharply but then she starred at her mother.
Erica looked angry. Very angry!
God, help Kit Sterling when she gets her hands on him!
…